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2009 Volkswagen Rabbit Quality Review

July 17, 2009

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

tires read road textures loudly into the interior
Car and Driver

impressive build quality
Edmunds

the chairs are comfortable and well bolstered
MyRide.com

Volkswagen's answer to compact cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla
Cars.com

Reviewers generally like the Rabbit's high-quality build materials and comfortable interior, but some single out road noise as an issue.

MyRide.com explains that the base chairs are rather "comfortable and well bolstered" in the 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit. With its "roomy and upscale cabin" and "comfortable ride," according to Edmunds, the 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit makes for a pleasant ride. On the downside, the front seats have a manual height adjustment that MyRide.com calls "outdated."

The VW Rabbit backseat is surprisingly roomy, notes Cars.com, providing "nearly 2 inches of legroom and more than an inch of headroom over the previous model." Edmunds agrees: "A roomy rear seat offers decent room for a pair of adults."

Cargo capacity is respectable, "thanks to a 60/40-split folding rear seat," allowing the Volkswagen Rabbit 2009 to carry long items like skis with the front seat folded flat, states Cars.com. With the seats raised, there's 15 cubic feet of space. "When flipped down, [it] opens up a massive 43 cubic feet of cargo space," Edmunds reports. Though the Volkswagen Rabbit 2009 sports a large glove box, MyRide.com would have liked to see "more creative stowage in the center console" and "taller cupholders to fully secure many of today's larger drinks."

Fit and finish are impressive for a $15,000 vehicle, and of particular note are the Audi-quality gauges and controls. Other materials, such as the laminated visor and hard plastic door inserts, appear "less than top-drawer." Additionally, Cars.com enjoys the "dashboard quality" of this VW Rabbit model. Car and Driver thinks "the seat fabric looks seriously thrifty," though. Edmunds calls out the "impressive build quality" of the Volkswagen Rabbit 2009. In terms of quality, MyRide.com adds, "A cleanly styled interior takes advantage of Volkswagen's long touted cabin-building competence."

Car and Driver reports that the "tires read road textures loudly into the interior" while driving the 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit. Edmunds, however, calls the interior "refined" and "noise-free."

Conclusion

The 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit is comfortable and has a surprising amount of space, though it can be a bit noisy by some accounts.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:tires read road textures loudly into the interiorCar and Driverimpressive build qualityEdmundsthe chairs are comfortable and well bolsteredMyRide.comVolkswagen's answer to compact cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota CorollaCars.com Reviewers generally like the Rabbit's high-quality build materials and comfortable interior, but some single out road noise as an issue. MyRide.com explains that the base chairs are rather "comfortable and well bolstered" in the 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit. With its "roomy and upscale cabin" and "comfortable ride," according to Edmunds, the 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit makes for a pleasant ride. On the downside, the front seats have a manual height adjustment that MyRide.com calls "outdated." The VW Rabbit backseat is surprisingly roomy, notes Cars.com, providing "nearly 2 inches of legroom and more than an inch of headroom over the previous model." Edmunds agrees: "A roomy rear seat offers decent room for a pair of adults." Cargo capacity is respectable, "thanks to a 60/40-split folding rear seat," allowing the Volkswagen Rabbit 2009 to carry long items like skis with the front seat folded flat, states Cars.com. With the seats raised, there's 15 cubic feet of space. "When flipped down, [it] opens up a massive 43 cubic feet of cargo space," Edmunds reports. Though the Volkswagen Rabbit 2009 sports a large glove box, MyRide.com would have liked to see "more creative stowage in the center console" and "taller cupholders to fully secure many of today's larger drinks." Fit and finish are impressive for a $15,000 vehicle, and of particular note are the Audi-quality gauges and controls. Other materials, such as the laminated visor and hard plastic door inserts, appear "less than top-drawer." Additionally, Cars.com enjoys the "dashboard quality" of this VW Rabbit model. Car and Driver thinks "the seat fabric looks seriously thrifty," though. Edmunds calls out the "impressive build quality" of the Volkswagen Rabbit 2009. In terms of quality, MyRide.com adds, "A cleanly styled interior takes advantage of Volkswagen's long touted cabin-building competence." Car and Driver reports that the "tires read road textures loudly into the interior" while driving the 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit. Edmunds, however, calls the interior "refined" and "noise-free." ConclusionThe 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit is comfortable and has a surprising amount of space, though it can be a bit noisy by some accounts.  2009 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: "pleasingly adult and gimmick-free" MyRide.com: "small on the outside and big on the inside" Cars.com: "the Rabbit's simple lines and uncluttered face make it look very similar to its Golf predecessor" Edmunds: "a bit too ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

In looking at rivals, it depends on your shopping priorities. If fuel economy is a concern, the Rabbit is trumped by nearly every other subcompact or compact on the list. However, for safety features, standard features, or refinement, the Rabbit does well. The 2009 Toyota Corolla is especially attractive in its top trim level but feels stark in its base trim. Domestically, the all-new 2009 Ford Focus matches the Rabbit with coupe and sedan body styles, and buyers tend to be attracted to its powerful SYNC entertainment system. The Mazda3 is the perennial favorite for handling, but it can't match the VW's solid feel, even after a full redesign this year that thoroughly upgrades the interior. The Honda Civic offers more engine choices than the Rabbit, especially if you're leaning toward the green hybrid or natural gas powertrains, and it has a light, nimble driving demeanor that the Rabbit lacks.

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See the Volkswagen Rabbit in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

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